Wire-stretcher.



' PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

P. 0. DAUGHTHRS. WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1903.

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No. 757,893. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

P. 0. DAUGHTBRS.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1903.

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Unrrnp STATES Patented April 19, 1904.

PHILIP O. DAUGHTERS, OF HIGHLAND, OHIO.

WlRE-STRETCHER,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,893, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed April 24:, I903- Serial No. 154,062. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP O. DAuenrnRs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland, in the county of Highland, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W ire-Stretchers; and I dohereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wire-stretchers; and it has for its object to provide a construction wherein the wire to be stretched may be firmly gripped and will be held securely against slipping during the stretching operation, a further object of the invention being to provide a simple and eflicient mechanism' for placing the wire under tension and with respect to which the wire may be quickly and easily engaged and disengaged, other objects and advantages of theinvention being understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the stretcher in operative position with a wire engaged therewith. Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the parts swung apart to receive the wire to be stretched. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the stretcher, the positions of the stubshafts that carry the wheels being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4is a transverse section, including the axes of the gear-wheels. Fig. 5 is an end elevation showing a modification.

Referring now to the drawings, the present stretcher comprises what may be termed a back plate 10, to which are pivoted the levers 11 and 12, having stub-shafts 13 and1i eccentric to the pivots 15 and 16 of the levers, so that when the levers are moved on their pivots the stub-shafts will be swung toward and away from each other. The stub-shafts are provided with nuts 17 and 18 to hold upon the shafts the combined gripping and gear wheels illustrated. There are two of these wheels, one of which has at one end a gear 19 and at its other end a corrugated grippingdrum 20,while the other includes the gear 21 and the gripping drum 22, which is likewise corrugated, and when the free ends ofthe levers 11 and 12 are swung toward each other' cient extent to permit of passage of a wire 2 1 and into position between the gripping-drums.

\Vhen the gears are swung into mutual en gagement, the gripping-drums are moved to impinge against the wire and grip it firmly, so that when the drums arerotated the wire will be drawn therebetween to place it under tension. WVhen the levers are brought together to exert a gripping action between the gripping-drums, it is desirable that the plate 10 be held rigid with respect to one of the levers during the gripping action, so that the parts may be steadied. For this purpose a stoplug 25 is provided upon the lever 11 and is received in the recess 26 of the plate 10, so that during the gripping operation the plate will practically be a continuation of the lever 11,having the lever12 pivoted at its free end. If this stop-lug were not provided, the tendency would be for the plate to rotate on the pin 15 to an excessive degree when the lever 11 is swung in the direction of the lever 12. It will thus be seen that to stretch a wire it is only necessary to swing the-levers 11 and 12 apart to separate the gears and grippingdrums, then to swing the levers toward each other to mesh the gears and engage the gripping-drums with the wire, after which by rotation of the gripping-drums the wire will be drawn therebetween.

To rotate the gripping-drums, a lever 27 is fulcrumed upon the stub-shaft 13 and has a v pawl 28 for engagement with the teeth of the gear 21, so that as the lever 27 is swung in one direction the pawl will engage the teeth of the gear to give the latter partial a rotation and when the lever is swung in the opposite direction the pawl will travel rearwardly over the gear to engage the latter at a new point. Thus by oscillation of the lever 27 the gear 21 will be rotated and in turn will rotate the gear 19, so that the gripping-drum will be operated to draw the wire therebetween. To prevent return movement of the gear 21 when released by the pawl 28, a retaining-pawl 29 is provided and is pivoted to the lever 11, said retaining-pawl being held yieldably in engagement with the gear 21 by means of the helical spring 29, connected thereto and to the lever 11.

To holdthe levers 11 and 12 with the drums in gripping positions, a chain 31 is connected to the free end of. the lever 12 and is adapted for engagement with the hook 32 at the free end of the lever 11. At the central portion of the chain is connected the swivel 33, to which may be connected a chain or cable which is passed around a post or other suitable anchor to hold the stretcher during the stretching operation.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings there is shown a modification wherein in place of the corrugated gripping-drums there are employed drums 35 and 36, having recesses 37 cast into their peripheries of such shapes as to receive the links of a chain, and when the wire to be stretched is of such nature that it would be injured by engagement of the corrugated faces of the gripping-drums therewith a chain may be connected to the end of the wire to be stretched and may be engaged between the faces of the recessed wheels, which may be substituted for the corrugated drums upon the stub-shafts.

In practice modifications of the specific construction shown may be made, and any suitable materials and proportions-may be used for the various parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is v 1. A wire-stretcher comprising a plate, levers pivoted to the plate, a gripping-drum mounted upon each lever eccentric to the path of the lever and movable with the levers toward and away from each other, gears carried by the drums and movable therewith into and out of mutual engagement, an attachingchain engaged at one end with the free end of one lever and engaged removably with the free end of the opposite lever, and means connected with one of the gear-wheels for rotating both heels and their drums.

2. A wire-stretcher comprising a plate, levers pivoted to the plate, means for limiting the pivotal movement of one of the levers toward the other lever, a gripping-drum mounted upon each lever eccentric to its pivot and having a gear at one end, said drums and gears being movable with the levers to engage and PHILIP O. DAUGrHTERS.

Witnesses:

H. C. KEEN, (J. P. KEEN. 

